The Restriction Enzyme and Gel Electrophoresis Lab was divided into two ninety-minute class sessions. During the first period, Dustin presented the students with background information regarding restriction enzymes, and then walked the students through proper pipetting techniques while following the resriction enzyme protocol. Both Anatomy and Physiology classes have twenty students, thus students were arranged in 4 groups of five to complete the lab.
While the vast majority of the Anatomy and Physiology students were interested in the lab activities, three challenges emerged:
1. "Down" Time. Teaching the students how to pipette as they actually completed the DNA cutting required that only two students, one each from two of the lab groups, be actively engaged at one time. For Anatomy and Physiology classes, this was a "noise" problem, not necessarily a behavior problem. For a Biology class with twice as many students, the latter may emerge. An additional dynamic that created this downtime was the fact that the Anatomy and Physiology students studied DNA approximately 6-8 weeks ago. Thus, there were no "natural" or "authentic" discussion/assignments to present or complete while waiting for one's turn. In hindsight, I can think of many effective uses of the "down" time, in order to better engage students throughout the ninety minute class. For example, in the future, I will better maximize the application of chapter from Lincoln's DNA titled "Old Bones" which recounts attempts to identify the remains of the Romonov family, or offer a case study situation in which Restriction Enzyme/Gel Electrophoresis technology applies.
2. As eluded to in #1, DNA/Gel Elctrophoresis is not a current topic of study in A & P. When we were studying DNA, we were still awaiting for approval of this lab as a classroom activity. In the future, this will not be a problem, as we now have Board approval for the activity.
3. Group Size. Biology classes have 30-34 students enrolled at any given time. While we were fortunate to be able to utilize two power boxes, the Biology classes will be limited to one, thus we must be creative in how we organize the lab as two groups of fifteen are far too large for any student to benefit to a substantial degree. One idea may be to split the class into two groups, one performing the lab with Dustin while the other is instructed by the teacher. the next class period, the two groups would switch and engage in the activities they did not participate in during the previous class. This can minimize the number of students in lab groups at one time, but certainly lengthens the amount of time necessary to get all students through the lab. Even with large groups, establishing roles for each person is a must - it creates accountability. In an effort to rectify the "down time" issue as well as the large group issue, perhaps students could be generating a lab report as they complete the lab, thus each person must report back to the group the exact step that he or she completes and lead a discussion as to why that step is necessary.
In an upper level course such as Anatomy and Physiology, these are not tremendous challenges. However, it is imperative that Biology teachers consider these dynamics prior to performing the labs with their classes. These challenges will dramatically intensify in larger, less mature classes.
While the vast majority of the Anatomy and Physiology students were interested in the lab activities, three challenges emerged:
1. "Down" Time. Teaching the students how to pipette as they actually completed the DNA cutting required that only two students, one each from two of the lab groups, be actively engaged at one time. For Anatomy and Physiology classes, this was a "noise" problem, not necessarily a behavior problem. For a Biology class with twice as many students, the latter may emerge. An additional dynamic that created this downtime was the fact that the Anatomy and Physiology students studied DNA approximately 6-8 weeks ago. Thus, there were no "natural" or "authentic" discussion/assignments to present or complete while waiting for one's turn. In hindsight, I can think of many effective uses of the "down" time, in order to better engage students throughout the ninety minute class. For example, in the future, I will better maximize the application of chapter from Lincoln's DNA titled "Old Bones" which recounts attempts to identify the remains of the Romonov family, or offer a case study situation in which Restriction Enzyme/Gel Electrophoresis technology applies.
2. As eluded to in #1, DNA/Gel Elctrophoresis is not a current topic of study in A & P. When we were studying DNA, we were still awaiting for approval of this lab as a classroom activity. In the future, this will not be a problem, as we now have Board approval for the activity.
3. Group Size. Biology classes have 30-34 students enrolled at any given time. While we were fortunate to be able to utilize two power boxes, the Biology classes will be limited to one, thus we must be creative in how we organize the lab as two groups of fifteen are far too large for any student to benefit to a substantial degree. One idea may be to split the class into two groups, one performing the lab with Dustin while the other is instructed by the teacher. the next class period, the two groups would switch and engage in the activities they did not participate in during the previous class. This can minimize the number of students in lab groups at one time, but certainly lengthens the amount of time necessary to get all students through the lab. Even with large groups, establishing roles for each person is a must - it creates accountability. In an effort to rectify the "down time" issue as well as the large group issue, perhaps students could be generating a lab report as they complete the lab, thus each person must report back to the group the exact step that he or she completes and lead a discussion as to why that step is necessary.
In an upper level course such as Anatomy and Physiology, these are not tremendous challenges. However, it is imperative that Biology teachers consider these dynamics prior to performing the labs with their classes. These challenges will dramatically intensify in larger, less mature classes.